In-house SEO

In-house SEO: Search engine optimization is conducted by an internal specialist instead of an agency. He develops the strategy, coordinates content & technology, monitors rankings/KPIs, and works closely with teams.

In general, Inhouse SEO refers to a specialist in search engine optimization who operates internally within a company. Alternatively, a company or a business could hire an online marketing or SEO agency, where a team of experts handles search engine optimization on behalf of the client. This work usually takes place in regular consultation with the client on a monthly basis. SEO measures can include both technical search engine optimization and content creation. If the measures are to be carried out internally, an employee is trained accordingly or the position is filled by an Inhouse SEO staff member.

The role of the in-house SEO specialist in online marketing

In the early days of search engine optimization, search engine experts had a less favorable reputation, as there were many tricksters mainly working with manipulations (keyword: Black Hat SEO). Over time, the image of the search engine optimizer has changed significantly, as they are now expected to ensure long-term success on the web. For this reason, many companies choose to hire an in-house SEO expert who continually works and implements appropriate concepts on an ongoing basis. Today, search engine optimization is one of the cornerstones of online marketing.

The in-house SEO responsible is primarily tasked with developing an SEO strategy for the company's website and implementing it long-term through various search engine optimization measures. For most in-house optimizers, this includes, among other things, the creation of content concepts and plans. This requires knowledge of search engine-relevant content on a page as well as keywords and keyword research. Since building a backlink structure forms a significant part of search engine optimization, the employee should also have knowledge in link building for a site that goes far beyond buying and exchanging links. Even for valuable backlinks, relevant content on a website is increasingly important.

Versatile skills are required for the job.

Since search engine optimization is much more interconnected today than it was in the early days, an in-house SEO specialist should also have a versatile set of skills. Basically, they should master the areas of on-page and off-page optimization and be familiar with various programming languages such as HTML, PHP, and Java. Furthermore, they must be confident regarding the ranking criteria of search engines like Google. Additionally, they need to handle social media, as it involves not only Facebook and Twitter but also blogs, wikis, and forums, where one often finds important decision-makers in the (network) industry.

In-house SEO in the company – hire specialists or retrain employees?

It is important not only that the in-house SEO specialist understands his craft but also continues to educate himself in this regard and observes industry developments that influence the website's ranking. For example, Google frequently releases updates like the Panda or Penguin update, which bring changes. As a result, it can sometimes happen that a page drops in the SERPs ranking if the current standards are no longer met. Content is also an important topic here, as many updates in recent years have aimed at ensuring a page provides high-quality content. Anyone who does in-house search engine optimization should also run an in-house content editorial team. It is always advisable to have an employee (or several) dedicated exclusively to search engine optimization rather than having the tasks done on the side. In general, a trained SEO expert is more effective and successful for the company than a "retrained" employee.

Agency commissioned, rely on a specialist team

However, companies do not always have the personnel resources for this work. It should be noted that the in-house SEO specialist may often lack the skills that are fulfilled by several employees in an agency. Thus, an SEO agency is often the right choice with a team of experts for link building and technical SEO, but also for social media and content creation. Another advantage: A full-service e-commerce agency also takes care of other online marketing disciplines such as search engine advertising (SEA).